put header instide a pom.xml to support multi module projects and "path" to the header

[lukastymo]

In multi modules pom there is no easy way to use license-maven-plugin.

The problem is that placing the header in a file inside the root module, is accessible only from the root project. Only adding a property which refers to the root like this:

< headerUrl >${basedir}/..< / headerUrl >

for each child modules solves the problem.

My proposition is to add tag which allows placing CDATA string header inside the xml instead of file, then all child poms would have the same header. So no additional configuration in child poms would be necessary.

[matthesrieke]

how about disabling the plugin in the sub-modules? maybe this fits for your setup. I am currently attaching the license checking to the initialize phase, but only on the root project.

<plugin>
    <groupId>com.mycila</groupId>
    <artifactId>license-maven-plugin</artifactId>
    <version>2.2</version>
    <inherited>false</inherited>
    <configuration>
        <header>${license.header.file}</header>
        <aggregate>true</aggregate>
        <includes>
            <include>**/*.java</include>
        </includes>
        <properties>
            <inceptionYear>${project.inceptionYear}</inceptionYear>
            <latestYearOfContribution>${currentYear}</latestYearOfContribution>
        </properties>
    </configuration>
    <executions>
        <execution>
            <id>check-headers</id>
            <phase>initialize</phase>
            <goals>
                <goal>check</goal>
            </goals>
        </execution>
    </executions>
</plugin>

Note <inherited>false</inherited> and <aggregate>true</aggregate> which are required to disable the execution in submodules and to crawl through the sub-modules src folders.

[mathieucarbou]

For sub-module projects, there is a lot of possibilities:

1. Either use a default header MIT, Apache 2, etc. already contained in the plugin
   http://code.mycila.com/license-maven-plugin/#license-templates
   access using: classpath:/path/to/template
2. Either create a single jar containing your license files and add this jar as a dependency of the plugin to access the header using classpath:/path/to/header
3. Either define the MLP in a dependency management section with the path being the path used for your submodules and just use the dependency where you need in the submodules
4. Either redefine the path in your submodules (=> redefine the plugin with another path)
5. Use the proposed solution above